White Castle®and USA Luge Kick Off Nationwide Search for Next Generation of Luge Athletes in Columbus, OH
Annual ‘Slider Search’ tour will visit 10 cities nationwide, commencing in Columbus, OH, May 4-5
WHAT : White Castle and USA Luge will kick off the 2019 “Slider Search,” an annual grass-roots recruitment program to introduce youth to the sport of luge and identify the next generation of USA Luge team members and Olympians
WHEN : Saturday and Sunday – May 4-5, 2019 – 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. or 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
WHERE : Big Run Park – Derby Hill, 4201 Clime Rd, Columbus, OH 43228
WHO : Team USA Luge athletes and coaches
Families with children aged 9 to 13 interested in learning the techniques and basics of riding a luge sled
White Castle national leadership
DETAILS : White Castle®and USA Luge, the nation’s two foremost slider experts, will kick off the annual search for the next generation of USA Luge team members and Olympians in Columbus, Ohio, with the White Castle USA Luge Slider Search. America’s first fast-food hamburger chain recently announced an extended partnership with USA Luge and serves as title sponsor of the off-season recruitment program.
Looking to build upon USA Luge’s success in Pyeongchang in 2018, the ‘Slider Search’ is an annual off-season recruitment program that will make its way across the country this summer. The series of clinics is open to boys and girls ages nine through 13, and will provide an introduction to luging using wheeled sleds and coaching from National and Olympic team athletes. Top participants from the nationwide tour will be considered for the USA Luge Junior Development team.
“As a family-owned business since 1921, White Castle continues to innovate to create the perfect lineup of sliders for our loyal Cravers,” said Lynn Blashford, vice president of marketing at White Castle. “We’ve taken those efforts even further by partnering with USA Luge in identifying the next generation of sliders to hopefully earn their way to many more medals in the future.”
The summer and fall tour will kick off on May 4-5 in White Castle’s home course of Columbus, Ohio, before traveling around the nation to find sliders in nearly a dozen cities from coast to coast. The tour will also make its way to Lake Placid, hometown of USA Luge.
Registration is required and can be completed online athttp://www.teamusa.org/usa-luge/slider-search. The sessions are free and everyone in attendance will receive an exclusive White Castle USA Luge Slider Search T-Shirt.
At each series stop, participants are taught the basics of riding a luge sled at controlled speeds, including positioning, steering and stopping. Once these skills are developed, athletes take several runs down a paved luge course on wheel-equipped luge sleds and test skills through a battery of fitness tests.
Those who show promise in the summer program are invited to Lake Placid, NY; Park City, UT; or Muskegon, MI, to try luge on ice at a USA Luge sanctioned training site. The top young athletes from this group are selected for the next year’s development team.
“The White Castle Slider Search is critical to finding luge athletes to represent the United States who will someday go for the gold,” said Gordy Sheer, director of marketing and sponsorships for USA Luge, and 1998 Olympic silver medalist. “A morning or afternoon of trying something fun and new could be the first step down a path to glory.”
Over the years, the White Castle USA Luge Slider Search has traveled over 220,000 miles and introduced the sport of luge to more than 20,000 eager young athletes.
For more information about White Castle, visit whitecastle.com. For details about USA Luge, the Slider Search program, or to register for a clinic, visit http://www.teamusa.org/usa-luge/slider-search.